Maui is so like a small town. I will be interviewed on 88.5 radio tomorrow morning to discuss poetry and read some of my work in celebration of National Poetry Month. I was invited as a member of Maui Live Poets Society here on island. What a great opportunity, one that would never happen in the big cities that I’ve lived in. It’s a live show so I hope I don’t do anything stupid. If I do I’ll just write a poem about it.

When my first poem was published years ago I embarked on the dream of compiling a weighty tome of poetry by the time I approached senility. I planned to submit my little lyric masterpieces one by one to eager editors who would scatter my bylines hither and yon in their magazines, newspapers and anthologies. Only after hundreds had been published individually this way would I gather them all up into a collection of my life’s work, a legacy that I could be proud of.

Life happens, of course. Submitting one poem at a time became tedious, labor-intensive. The competition was tough. The monetary reward non-existent. I moved on to prose projects. Poetry became my secret joy, for my eyes only. When life beat me up, I wrote sharp daggers to fight back. When bliss came I let some of it spill over onto a page. I love these pieces. They are my children. I made them and they comfort me now in my maturing years.

My poetry collection is all but ready for publication. I have sloshed through the formatting. I have the cover. I’m getting final input from a favorite friend here and there. I can boast on my list of acknowledgements that eight of them have already been in print elsewhere. So how many poems make a lifetime? Let’s say I have about 40 to share.

Tell me, overworked, stressed-out caregivers, would you like to listen to a caregiver love story with end of chapter helpful hints while you rest your eyes? Listening to my book on-the-go, I’ve been told, would be perfect. So I am considering ACX the Audiobook Creation Exchange. They make it sound easy. What do you think?

Since I’ve given myself the whole year of 2016 to publish my collection of poems, I have played with options every step of the way. I’ve completely rearranged the order which led to a new title and cover. I have a recurring hummingbird theme in my verse so this seemed appropriate.

Want to hear me read poetry? Next Thursday Jan 28th at Dog-Eared Pages Bookstore is Open Mic Night. I’m taking two poetry collections written by Hawaiian poets. Porcelain by Cinthia I Albers and Equitude by Maui Muses which includes three of my poems.

Honest caregiver talk Part 2 hits home. Listen to this chat to overcome that isolated, overwhelmed feeling. Rebecca asks such probing questions. I told it all. Try to forget what has changed. Don’t stew about the future. Focus on the golden moments. An inspiring estate sale around Mt. Tabor Park. An artist who left behind an ink and white paper drawing.

I returned a book at the library a few days ago and almost ran into a tripod at the front door. They have posted my Jan 14 book signing event. I hope it’s warmer than it is today on Jan 14 at 1 PM. It was 33 degrees last night here in the Valley of the Sun.